Detailed Explanation of Key Points in Breeding Boar Feeding and Management Techniques
As the saying goes, "A good sow benefits a litter; a good boar benefits a whole slope." It is clear that boars hold an important position in the pig herd breeding process. The purpose of raising boars is to give them good semen quality and mating ability so they can complete mating tasks. In order to give breeding boars good reproductive performance and improve sow productivity, let us take a look at breeding boar feeding and management techniques below!
Reasonable Feeding
Boar feed must first meet protein requirements, because protein has a great relationship with the increase in boar semen quantity, the improvement of quality, and the lifespan of sperm. At the same time, sufficient vitamins and minerals should also be guaranteed, and attention should be paid to a reasonable combination of nutritional components. In production, the crude protein level of the daily ration for breeding boars is suitably 18-20%, and the digestible energy in the daily ration can be 3.0-3.1 Mcal/kg, so that the boar is neither fat nor thin and maintains normal breeding body condition. If a boar is too fat or too thin, its libido will decline, and it is also prone to limb and hoof diseases. Feeding only 2-3 times a day is sufficient, and the feeding amount should be limited to within 2-3 kg.
Reasonable Use
Boars should be used reasonably and not too frequently. Excessive mating or semen collection, although it does not affect sperm vitality, can reduce sperm density and metabolic energy, thereby affecting the fertilization rate. For young boars just starting to be used, use once a week. For small boars 1-2 years old, mating should not exceed 1 time per day, and after 2-3 consecutive days they should rest for 2 days. For adult boars over 2 years old, mating should not exceed 2 times per day, the interval between the two times should not be less than 6 hours, and they should rest at least 2 days per week; otherwise, the service life of the boar will be shortened. Each mating by a boar takes a relatively long time, generally 5-15 minutes. During mating, the surrounding environment should remain quiet and free from any disturbance, so that the boar can ejaculate completely. Long-term absence of mating in boars will cause decreased semen quality and reduced libido. Therefore, boars that do not need to be used for a long time should also be regularly collected for semen to maintain their libido and semen quality.
Timely Training
1. Boars generally begin training at about six months of age. When training for mating, the floor of the mating pen should be flat, not too rough and not too slippery, and the mating pen area should not be too small, to avoid external injuries to the boar during mating.
2. When training replacement boars, sows in stable estrus should be selected first, and the body size of the sow and the boar being trained should not differ too greatly. When a replacement boar mounts for the first time, if the direction is incorrect, it should be patiently trained, assisting the young boar to insert the penis into the sow's vagina and complete ejaculation.
3. When boars are young and receive vaccinations and some necessary treatments, care should be taken not to cause too much stimulation to the boar, so as to avoid the boar developing fear of the keeper.
4. Before boars participate in training for mating, some immunizations against reproductive disorder diseases should be carried out. The Japanese encephalitis vaccine should be injected one month before training, and immunization quality should be ensured.
Strengthen Management
1. The pens for boars should be appropriately larger, preferably with an exercise yard, with sufficient sunlight, air circulation, and a solid, dry floor.
2. Establish a good daily routine. Feeding, semen collection or mating, exercise, brushing, and other tasks should all be carried out at generally fixed times, using conditioned reflexes to let boars develop a regular daily routine, which facilitates management work.
3. Strengthen the exercise of breeding boars. This can promote appetite, enhance physical fitness, avoid being too fat or too thin, improve libido and semen quality, and also reduce the occurrence of limb and hoof diseases. Boars should be exercised every day. In addition to exercise in the exercise yard, driving exercise should also be carried out. In summer, it can be done in the morning or evening when the weather is cool, and in winter it can be done at noon.
4. Regularly check boar semen quality. For boars used for artificial insemination, semen quality must be checked at every collection. If natural mating is used for boars, checks should also be made 1-2 times a month. Especially for replacement boars, before they start being used and when they are first used, their semen should be checked 2-3 times. Boars with poor semen quality must never be used for mating.
5. Do a good job of cold protection and heat reduction. The suitable temperature for breeding boars is 18-20 degrees. In winter, pig houses should be protected against cold and kept warm, to reduce feed consumption and disease occurrence. In summer, when temperatures are high, heat prevention and cooling should be carried out. High temperature has a particularly important effect on breeding boars. In mild cases, appetite decreases and libido decreases; in severe cases, semen quality declines. When breeding boars are exposed to high temperature for a long time, their semen quality is seriously affected, manifested as decreased sperm vitality, decreased total count and live sperm count, and increased number of abnormal sperm.
6. Regularly carry out internal and external deworming for breeding boars. Ivermectin can be injected intramuscularly at 1 ml per 33 kg of body weight, twice a year.
7. Prevent the occurrence of severe infectious diseases and breeding diseases in breeding pigs, and do a good job in routine vaccine immunization.